1) LPG is a useful fuel in rural locations without natural gas pipelines. A leak during the filling of a tank can be extremely dangerous because the vapor is denser than air and drifts to low elevations before dispersing, creating an explosion hazard.
a) What volume of vapor is created by a leak of 40 L of LPG? Assume pure propane at 2.5 MPa and 20°C to find the liquid density and use the same temperature and 1 bar after depressurization to determine the vapor density.
b) Compare the vapor density to that of air at the same conditions.
c) Using MSDS sheet data for propane, determine the upper and lower flammability units.
d) Research BLEVE and compose a few sentences on ways to mitigate this phenomenon.